The Westchester Jewish Council's
Community Connection

 Your bi-weekly and every so often e-newsletter

March 26, 2020 1 Nisan 5780
ABOUT US    WHAT WE DO     COUNCIL EVENTS    CALENDAR      DIRECTORY    NEWS    RESOURCES  


Hello!

Hello everyone.

We are gearing up for Passover which is less than two weeks away. This will be a unique Passover in so many respects. Look out for our special Passover Edition next week that will include Passover workshops, online Seders, sing-alongs and more.

In the meantime, thank you to our member organizations for the incredible quality of virtual events posted on our community calendar. There is so much to do each day! Visit the calendar at www.wjcouncil.org for online learning and entertainment opportunities. If you have been waiting for a chance to take an Introduction to Judaism course, now is your chance (thanks to the Westchester Board of Rabbis, UJA and the Council)--the course is online, weekly, free, starts next week and is taught by our local rabbis. Details below. These are strange and difficult times, but they are made easier when we are connected with one another.

Today is Rosh Hodesh , the new Hebrew month of Nisan and with it renewed wishes -first and foremost -for health and comfort.

We leave you with a blessing that was shared with us by a community rabbi:

May you feel blessed - May you feel safe
May you feel luminous - May you feel loved
May you feel joy - May you feel whole
Shabbat Shalom and may the new month bring to all of us renewed health of body, mind and spirit.
Sincerely,


Lisa Roberts, President
Lori Kurlander, Communications Manager
Elliot Forchheimer, CEO
WESTCHESTER JEWISH COUNCIL

"HERE WHEN YOU NEED US
YESTERDAY, TODAY AND TOMORROW"

(The Council is financially supported by donations from individuals,
dues from 136 member organizations and generous grant support from UJA-Federation)
Please support the work of the Westchester Jewish Council. Your donation makes a difference each and every day. Click here to donate
WESTCHESTER JEWISH COUNCIL UPCOMING EVENTS
Bored and/or Isolated at Home? Make the Most of It and Join Us for:

INTRODUCTION TO JUDAISM

A Nine-Part Weekly Series Led by Rabbis From Throughout the area presented by The Westchester Board of Rabbis, UJA and The Westchester Jewish Council,
Tuesdays, 7-8:30pm beginning Tuesday, March 31 and each Tuesday Night Through May 26th.   

Each session is based upon a chapter in Stephen Wylen's "Settings of Silver: An Introduction to Judaism".  

You may attend as many of the sessions as you choose as each stands alone. No prior knowledge is necessary, just a willingness to learn. Free and open to all

Join us on  Zoom through this link.

Please click here for the Introduction to Judaism curriculum.
TENTATIVE NEW DATE
Silver Anniversary
25th Annual Julian Y. Bernstein
Distinguished Service Awards Ceremony
Join us on Tuesday, June 4th at
Temple Israel Center, White Plains at 7:30pm as we honor 22 individuals for their outstanding dedication to the Westchester Jewish community. In recognition of the Silver Anniversary of the awards, we will also be honoring Donald J. Fleishaker who was the recipient of a first DSA Award in 1996.

This event is free and all are welcome. Reservations requested.
Please register here .

If you would like to make a contribution
in honor of one of the evening's honorees, please click here .
DATE TO BE DETERMINED....
ANNUAL WESTCHESTER LEGISLATIVE BRIEFING
UJA-Federation of New York and the Westchester Jewish Council invite you to join us for this annual event (date and method-in person or online to be determined) featuring keynote speaker Majority Leader and NY State Senator Andrea Stewart Cousins and with a special tribute to Congresswoman Nita Lowey.
PROGRAMMING AND EVENTS YOU CAN ENJOY FROM HOME
visit the full Community Calendar at www.wjcouncil.org
THURSDAY NIGHT!!!

Join us for a virtual concert with Rick Recht , one of the top touring musicians in Jewish music. (Watch a preview here !)

Don’t miss out on another exciting opportunity to join together with the Ramah and USY communities

Visit the National Ramah Facebook page on Thursday, March 26th at 8:00 p.m. EDT and enjoy the show!

Havdalah with the IDF

Welcome a new week with friends and happiness, as Lt. Col. Shai Abramson, Chief Cantor of the IDF, with the IDF Rabbinical Ensemble lead us in a Havdalah service just for the FIDF family straight from Israel.

When: March 28, 2020 at 8:30PM EST



Calling all Westchester LGBTQ+ and allied teens for the Mosaic teen program online gathering!
On Sun. March 29 from 1 pm-3 pm, Hillels of Westchester (HOW ) staff and students will present a session on values and how we apply them to our everyday life. This session will be conducted via Zoom. Please register by going to  bit.ly/March29Mosaic  in order to receive the Zoom link.
If you have any questions please contact HOW Program & Engagement Associate Marisa Fernandez (they/them) at marisa@hillelsofwestchester.org .
 
Please join WJCS for our
2020 Virtual but Vital Gala
on March 31st at 7 pm at WJCS.com
to celebrate two outstanding honorees
             Ellen Gelboim and Bob Mensch

With Westchester residents facing health challenges that many in our region and across the world are grappling with, we will not be hosting an in-person or live streamed Gala via Zoom on March 31st. Instead, we invite you to join us at a Virtual but Vital 2020 WJCS Gala at WJCS.com on March 31st at 7 pm. REGISTER/DONATE HERE
Virtual Kids Passover Song Sessions
Why is this song session different from all other song sessions? Join The Leffell School virtually at 10:00 a.m.
on Tuesdays, now through Passover, to practice
the Ma Nishtana and more!
Sign up here to receive the zoom link: 

 Thank you for your help in helping
to make our community continue to feel connected.
PASSOVER IS COMING - SOME HELP IS ON THE WAY


Silver Leaf Caterers will be catering for Passover this year. If you are interested in learning more, please email info@silverleafcaterers.com or
call (914)315-7413.

To meet the needs of the community, Foremost Ram Caterers will be offering a TakeOut menu for Pesach 2020. Please click here for the menu and order information.

Get your Passover Wines at greatly discounted sale prices from our friend Gary at Skyview Wines and Spirits , a long and strong partner of the Westchester Jewish Council. DUE TO THE CORONAVIRUS, THE STORE IS NOW ONLY OPEN ONLINE or BY PHONE OFFERING. Free Delivery & Curbside PICK UP Service Only!

Place your order at www.skyviewwines.com or call 718-601-8222 or 888-SKY-VINO (769-8466). Order Form
Please place your order as early as possible. Wishing you and your family a Healthy and Zissen Pesach!
Just in time for Passover, please click here for The Jewish Week's 10th Annual Kosher Wine Guide . L'chaim!
RESPONDING TO COVID-19 IN THE COMMUNITY
Areyvut, Inc ., a Council member organization, will be developing resources throughout this current situation, many of which are available on their website at http://bit.ly/2wU5CTS .
Thank you to Daniel Rothner, Founder & Director of Areyvut, Inc. for sharing.
The Hebrew Free Loan Society (a Council member organization) will be offering interest-free bridge loans for anyone affected by the coronavirus who lives in the five boroughs of New York City, in Westchester County, or on Long Island. Read more about it by clicking on this link -
GOVERNMENT AND BEYOND NEWS

Guidance on Coronavirus Resources and
Warnings about Consumer Scams
There have been several cases of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) confirmed in New York and across the country, and it is imperative that individuals are prepared and informed during this time. In addition to health information, New Yorkers must know about the resources available to them and warnings about potential consumer scams related to COVID-19. Scammers commonly exploit real public health concerns and use heightened public fear to prey on consumers and profit from frauds related to those health fears. While all New Yorkers should remain vigilant and ensure they are informed, there is no cause for great concern or panic.

To read more, please click here.
U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand's office shared this information with us. It is an extensive list of resources for nonprofits and community-based organizations.

Virtual Town Hall with Senator Shelley B. Mayer
Thursday, March 26, 2020
5:00 - 6:00 PM
Senator Shelley Mayer will be hosting an upcoming Virtual Town Hall this Thursday, March 26th on Facebook Live. This will be an opportunity to recap the state's efforts to contain the spread of the virus and respond to the new challenges our communities are facing. Please send questions to  smayer@nysenate.gov . You will also be able to ask your questions live in the comments. To join the Virtual Town Hall, go to  Facebook.com/ShelleyMayerSD37 . This Town Hall is available to anyone who wishes to participate.  
WESTCHESTER JEWISH COUNCIL'S SECURITY UPDATE
" By  failing  to  prepare you  are  preparing to fail" B. Franklin
A Security Roundtable will convene virtually on Thursday, April 2nd. Invitations will be sent shortly. We will share any relevant updates after this roundtable
HOW YOU CAN DONATE TO THE HUNGRY LOCALLY
Donate to Feeding Westchester ( https://feedingwestchester.org/ ) and/or Rockland Hunger ( http://www.rocklandhunger.org/food-pantries-feeding-programs/ )

Hillside Food Pantry in Westchester needs drivers to take meals to people ( https://hillsidefoodoutreach.org/ )

People to People food pantry in Rockland County needs help preparing meals ( http://www.peopletopeopleinc.org/ ).

Please take care of yourself and your family, be kind to your neighbors, and if you can help ensure everyone has at least one meal today.
HOW YOU CAN HELP
There is a very important coronavirus/COVID-19 medical study getting underway at The Rockefeller University . This study is being supported by the NIH. The Rockefeller University is seeking individuals who became ill (tested positive) or were exposed to someone who became ill (tested positive) and recovered from coronavirus. It is not necessary to have a documented negative result. Participants will be asked to supply a small sample of blood which can be taken either at your home or at our hospital. 
Click on the following link to read more details about the study - http://clinicalstudies.rucares.org/coronavirus .
The following criteria must be met in order to be eligible for this study:
   •   At least 18 years of age
   •   Infected with coronavirus but now free of infection
              OR
  •   Close contact with someone infected with coronavirus (i.e., living in the same household) and now free of symptoms. 
The university needs a minimum of 100 people to participate in the study in order to proceed.

If you have any questions, please contact:
Jill Horowitz, PhD
Telephone 212-327-8602
CHECK OUT THESE HELPFUL RESOURCES
·          Create a Zoom account -   Join Zoom meetings
·          Schedule your own Zoom video conference
·         Share your screen -       Manage interactions
Whether you don’t know the first thing about technology or you are a seasoned professional, you will find these videos helpful.
Just click the link below for immediate FREE access.
  Hebrew word of the day videos. These are very short videos you can stream out. Click here:

Our friend and teacher Dr. Steven Windmueller , the author of four books and numerous articles on American Jewish communal trends, political behavior and contemporary anti-Semitism, released another post dealing with the impact of this crisis on the nonprofit sector. Please click here to read more.
UJA-FEDERATION OF NEW YORK IN WESTCHESTER



Passover Resources
 
In this time of intense need, UJA is here for you. We know many of you may be without family for the seders, are facing newfound financial hardships, or may not have access to the community seders you once relied on. Click here to learn how you can help. 
Community Webinars
Tune in to free online learning sessions  
(Including a warm, pre-Shabbat gathering tomorrow)
for both personal and professional use.
WESTCHESTER JEWISH COUNCIL ROUNDTABLES (ConnecTables)
Westchester Jewish Council
Upcoming C ommunity Roundtables
(The Council thanks the hundreds of people that dedicate time to attend our Roundtables-
a signature initiative of the Council often sponsored with wonderful partners from among our member organizations)
We will be hosting our roundtables via Zoom in the coming weeks.

Some Upcoming Council Roundtables :
Security Roundtable-Thursday, April 2
Youth Professionals- Wednesday, April 22
MOSAIC LGBTQ - Thursday, April 23
Seniors/Grandparents Roundtable, coming in May-Tentative
Marketing Roundtable-coming in June

Contact the Council office at (914) 328-7001 for information on these and other Roundtables--a key offering of the Westchester Jewish Council.

Please look out for the most updated schedule of dates in upcoming newsletters and on our website.
SAVE THE DATE
 
SAVE THE DATE | April 29 | 2 pm ET
A Global Celebration on Israel’s Independence Day
It’s not every year that we get to celebrate Yom Ha’atzmaut as one global people, together, in the same place! This year, we can. We’ll be programming an hour-long celebration for you and your community to take part in. Stay tuned for celebrity announcements and other programs being planned for that day.
For now, mark your calendar!
 
 

WESTCHESTER TEEN SCENE
Westchester Jewish Council Teen Organizations include:
Thank you to the Jewish Education Project for working so closely with our Teen professionals and volunteers!
WESTCHESTER EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES
If you have a job listing to share, please email lori@wjcouncil.org .
QUICK LINKS

JBS can be seen live 24/7 on Cablevision (channel 138), Verizon FIOS (channel 798), ROKU and on
Westchester Jewish Council
925 Westchester Avenue, Suite 200
White Plains, NY 10604
914-328-7001 | info@wjcouncil.org | www.wjcouncil.org
For information regarding submissions, please contact Lori Kurlander
The next Community Connection will be published on or about March 31, 2020.